Nip Global Bloghttp://www.nipglobalblog.com
Welcome to NIP Global's blog, in this blog you can find all the information about the world of population registry.Mon, 23 Apr 2018 07:41:33 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.6The Reality of Today’s Global Security Threats Requires Biometricshttp://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/the-reality-of-todays-global-security-threats-requires-biometrics/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/the-reality-of-todays-global-security-threats-requires-biometrics/#respondMon, 23 Apr 2018 07:41:33 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=255Biometric Passports Are a Critical Tool for National Security The reality of today’s global environment, with the threats of terrorism, fraud, and identity theft have forced governments to ramp up their security measures. The safety of national borders has never been more important. Biometric passports have become the standard weapon as nations fight to protect […]

The reality of today’s global environment, with the threats of terrorism, fraud, and identity theft have forced governments to ramp up their security measures. The safety of national borders has never been more important. Biometric passports have become the standard weapon as nations fight to protect their citizenry.

What is Unique about Biometric Passports?

Biometric passports, also known as e-Passports or digital passports, provide governments and individuals with a heightened level of security. Basically, the biometric passport is like two passports: paper and digital combined into one. The e-passport includes a digital signature and watermarks, making it unalterable and impossible to replicate.

All of the identification data related to the holder that is typed on the passport is duplicated in the chip. For instance, the holder’s photograph, address, full name, date of birth and other vital identity information is embedded in the chip.

Biometric passports typically also include a fingerprint, facial recognition and/or iris scan. Countries have discretion over what biometrics will be included. For instance, in Germany, e-Passports must have two fingerprints.

e-Passports issued by the U.S. and Visa Waiver program countries have an additional security feature. The data on the chip cannot be scanned illegally, meaning the passports are protected from skimming, which has become the latest way fraudsters steal personal identification.

With a biometric passport, travelers have an easier time moving across borders. They can enter and exit much more quickly and safely. Rather than going through a manual check by a Border Patrol officer, the traveler can simply scan his or her e-Passport through a special e-Passport gate. The entire process becomes automated and much more secure.

To be fully effective there is a need for international standards and conformity. For this reason, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has assumed the role of standardizing and regulating the data that must be stored on the biometric chip.

Biometric passports are securing national borders, protecting the identity of citizens and improving the immigration process at airports. We can expect to continue to see technology advancements in this vital area of national security.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/the-reality-of-todays-global-security-threats-requires-biometrics/feed/0NIP Global Presents at ID4Africa 2018http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/nip-global-presents-id4africa-2018/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/nip-global-presents-id4africa-2018/#commentsSun, 22 Apr 2018 08:14:43 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=251Now in it’s 4th year, the ID4Africa Annual Meeting continues to grow and evolve as it addresses the changing needs of identity management in Africa. ID4Africa 2018 will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, between April 24 – 26. Hosted by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the event is […]

]]>Now in it’s 4th year, the ID4Africa Annual Meeting continues to grow and evolve as it addresses the changing needs of identity management in Africa. ID4Africa 2018 will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, between April 24 – 26. Hosted by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the event is set to attract more participants than ever, and to present a wide array of top speakers on a diverse range of subjects.

What is ID4Africa?

The ID4Africa organization is part of the ID-4-All movement, which helps facilitate the journey of African nations as they come to grips with the need for and practicalities of digital identity. ID4Africa is a tripartite event, with representatives from African governments, industry leaders and development agencies.

The original brief for ID4Africa was to develop a sustainable legal identity for every person in Africa and to help individuals utilize their national identity to make use of increased social services. The annual meeting is held in a different African country each year. The first annual ID4Africa meeting was held in Tanzania in 2015, with subsequent meetings in Rwanda and Namibia in 2016 and 2017. The annual meeting attracted over 900 delegates in 2017.

ID4Africa 2018

The theme for ID4Africa 2018 is Harmonization of Identity Schemes. As the identity ecosystem evolves in Africa, it is vital to address the requirements of different schemes and the data requirements of diverse systems to enable full harmonization and access to services for all members of the population. ID4Africa 2018 will also launch a new multi-session symposium called DigiHealth: an in-depth analysis and review of digital healthcare systems in Africa, and the challenges and opportunities surrounding digital identity and access to healthcare services and management of these services across diverse sectors.

NIP and ID4Africa

NIP Global has been part of ID4Africa for four years, and in 2018 will be presenting a talk by Stephen Bekker. With over 20-years experience in governmental and large-scale registration systems, including biometric enrollment, Stephen Bekker has worked in several African markets, and brings his unique experience and expertise to the subject matter. Stephen has worked with NIP Global on several projects in Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia and Zimbabwe, where he was tasked with leading and managing the implementation of civil registration systems, national ID cards and e-Passport issuing, as well as birth and death registration systems.

Why National Identity Development is Important in Africa

Despite population growth, there is still an unequal and uneven distribution of benefits to many sectors of the population. Working together on a national ID program and systems will help government departments move successfully toward long-term development goals and ensure that every citizen has access to all available government services. Part of the long -term strategy is to ensure that everyone is guaranteed a national digital identity from birth, as well as to promote knowledge transfer and security protocols between countries on the continent of Africa.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/nip-global-presents-id4africa-2018/feed/1Combating Human Trafficking and Infectious Diseases with Secure Population Registrieshttp://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/combating-human-trafficking-infectious-diseases-secure-population-registries/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/combating-human-trafficking-infectious-diseases-secure-population-registries/#commentsMon, 12 Mar 2018 13:41:34 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=245Population Registry is a Critical Tool for Populace Protection African nations face a number of ongoing crises on multiple fronts: outbreaks of infectious diseases, human trafficking, civil war, drought and famine – to name a few. Securing borders, safeguarding citizenry and the ability to track the movement of people and diseases are all critical measures […]

African nations face a number of ongoing crises on multiple fronts: outbreaks of infectious diseases, human trafficking, civil war, drought and famine – to name a few. Securing borders, safeguarding citizenry and the ability to track the movement of people and diseases are all critical measures when it comes to maintaining national stability in these extremely tumultuous nations. Population registry strategies such as national identification documents and birth and death certificates are effective tools for governments wishing to protect their populations.

Human Rights

There are almost 50 million unregistered children throughout the world, 79 percent of which reside in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, despite birth registration being listed among the Rights of the Child according to both UN treatises and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Failure to register births results from lack of knowledge on the part of parents, but more importantly, lack of initiative on the part of governments. Fears regarding invasion of privacy or discrimination are also factors, especially among HIV/AIDs patients.

Human Trafficking

Traffickers target vulnerable populations by leveraging their needs for basic necessities like food, money and housing. Traffickers prey on these populations’ weaknesses by making false promises of a better life, making profits with no regard for human safety, dignity or rights. Their “cargo” is just that. Particularly disturbing are the high numbers of child and sex trafficking cases.
Despite intense anti-trafficking efforts by multiple government agencies, NGOs, religious leaders and private citizens, human traffickers are a prevailing problem in Africa. Reports by the United States government estimate that as many as 800,000 people are trafficked across borders each year, the majority of whom are children. Children’s lack of organized registration helps traffickers avoid persecution, as lack of documentation allows them to continue working in the shadows.

HIV/AIDS

A similar challenge exists in the battle against HIV/AIDS. In the absence of a population registry, those suffering from infectious diseases and their survivors are cut off from vital government resources like housing, financial assistance, inheritance rights, education and food assistance. Compounding their vulnerability, these populations become the perfect victims for human traffickers, who capitalize upon their isolation. Population registry data such as death and HIV/AIDS infection rates, as well as the availability of local resources, are all critical to governments seeking to design and implement effective prevention and control strategies.

Shutting Down Vulnerability

Population registry provides government and anti-trafficking task forces with the most important information—a baseline picture of local citizenry. It also provides citizens with important documentation such as birth records, identity cards, and citizenship. The lack of these documents makes people much more vulnerable to traffickers and exploitation.
Once registered, a country’s citizens are no longer invisible. People taken up in human trafficking are no longer anonymous, and local governments and councils can reach out to provide much needed social services like healthcare, education, employment training, housing, jobs and more to marginalized demographics, thereby nullifying the leverage traffickers use to exploit their victims as well as the spread of disease.

Population registry puts governments in touch with their people and people in touch with their governments, forming a protective shield against human trafficking and other forms of exploitation, as well as disease, lack of education and other social woes.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/combating-human-trafficking-infectious-diseases-secure-population-registries/feed/2How Database Harmonization Works on a National Scalehttp://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/how-database-harmonization-works-on-a-national-scale/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/how-database-harmonization-works-on-a-national-scale/#commentsSun, 25 Feb 2018 09:35:11 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=239Database harmonization is more than the ability to share information between organizations. It is the ability to serve an entire population; to provide services, safety and security to nations without compromising civil rights and the right to privacy. Data pooling on an individual department or organization level has always faced numerous challenges and hurdles, as […]

]]>Database harmonization is more than the ability to share information between organizations. It is the ability to serve an entire population; to provide services, safety and security to nations without compromising civil rights and the right to privacy. Data pooling on an individual department or organization level has always faced numerous challenges and hurdles, as often, the variables and data available, while interconnected, was not harmonized to provide collaborative management systems, especially in areas such as public health, epidemiology and social services.

NIP Global – Registration Database Harmonization Management

Integrated harmonized data provides an exceptional level of insight that individual database management cannot. A harmonized national registration database may provide a central government with the ability to act in ways that benefit the entire populace, instead of relying on individual government department databases to provide solutions in one area only. Data harmonization and database federated methodology, when implemented on a national level provides for modular packages while maintaining a national database with easy access to all relevant departments.

Civil Registration Solutions – Better Information to Benefit Everyone

Having a harmonized central national database allows for an increased level of security. This is especially important when fighting cross-border crime, such as human trafficking, specifically child trafficking, as well as disease control, social services, increased border control services as well as election management and voter registration. Access to services is more easily managed, allowing for marginalized sectors of the population to have immediate access to the help and government services that they require. NIP Global, pioneers of harmonized database and central database management have rolled out solutions in countries like Lesotho and Zimbabwe where registrations have topped 44% and have ensured that more people have access to government services. This success and implementation also allows for researchers, scientists and public health workers to quickly and accurately provide services in areas like disease control, infrastructure planning and population studies.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/how-database-harmonization-works-on-a-national-scale/feed/33Nip Global Boosts Birth Registration in Africahttp://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/nip-global-boosts-birth-registration-africa/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/nip-global-boosts-birth-registration-africa/#commentsThu, 15 Feb 2018 13:07:32 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=232Civil Registration in Sub-Saharan Africa – A Snapshot UNICEF and NIP Global are addressing a major cause for concern in Sub-Saharan Africa: exceptionally low birth registration rates. As reported by UNICEF, a staggering 95 million children in Africa are not registered. With 30% of the unregistered children living in DRC, Ethiopia and Tanzania – these […]

UNICEF and NIP Global are addressing a major cause for concern in Sub-Saharan Africa: exceptionally low birth registration rates. As reported by UNICEF, a staggering 95 million children in Africa are not registered. With 30% of the unregistered children living in DRC, Ethiopia and Tanzania – these countries are the biggest culprits. UNICEF also reports that as many as 120 million children in Africa are not in possession of a birth certificate – and they predict that by 2030, 115 million children who are five years old and under will not be registered. Since registration is the first step in securing a child’s legal status and safeguarding their rights, and essential to any country’s economic and social planning, improving these numbers is vital.

Barriers to Registration

One of the reasons births aren’t being registered is the fact that registration costs money to the child’s parents. Even in countries where it is free to register a birth, there are hidden costs involved, like judicial fees and the costs associated with traveling to get the child registered. Many children are born in rural areas and into poverty-stricken families, who simply cannot afford to travel into cities and towns to register the birth. In many African countries, there is also a general lack of knowledge about the steps needed to register a birth or obtain a birth certificate.

UNICEF and NIP Global – Striving to Improve Registration

Several initiatives geared at improving civil registrations have been implemented throughout Africa. UNICEF is committed to this improvement and is working towards integrating health systems and services with registration, to ensure that every newly born baby is counted and given a legal identity. Through the integration of birth registration with health services like immunization, registration levels should significantly increase. Nip Global is also working towards raising registration numbers by providing advanced technical solutions. The company is installing pioneering civil registration software run from a central national database, geared toward improving registration rates. The registration average in South Africa is 41%, Zimbabwe – 44% and Lesotho – 43% – all countries in which NIP Global is operating.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/nip-global-boosts-birth-registration-africa/feed/13Is There a Link Between Population Growth and Poverty?http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/link-population-growth-poverty/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/link-population-growth-poverty/#commentsSun, 21 Jan 2018 12:53:06 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=225The post Is There a Link Between Population Growth and Poverty? appeared first on Nip Global Blog.
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The debate over the influence of population growth on national economies has been around for more than two centuries and the dominant stance on the matter changes frequently. Apparently, the shifts in perspective have much to do with the periodic context.

Thomas Malthus: A Larger Population Means Less Resources per Person

It began in 1798, when Thomas Malthus theorized that population growth would eventually lower overall wealth across the world. As a population expanded, Malthus explained, there would be less space and resources to go around. As a result, everyone would have to make do with less, leading to a lowered standard of living, and increased levels of illness, hunger, and war. Of course, technology in agriculture has played a massive role in debunking this theory as have the advances in medicine, science, and technology. The world is inhabited by over 7 billion citizens today, far more than the 1 billion in 1798, and in most places the standard of living has vastly improved.

1950-1970: Poverty Is the Problem, Family Planning is the Solution

Nonetheless, throughout the 1950s and 1960s – a period of rapid population growth especially in developing countries – many economic policies were driven by the basic tenets of Malthus’ theory. It simply seemed logical: a large family has more mouths to feed, and less money to invest in each individual family member. As a result, every last cent would rather be used to answer basic needs than put aside as an investment for the future. This type of financial conduct ultimately trapped large poor families in a hand to mouth existence. To remedy the expected economic decline, governments focused on promoting what Malthus called ‘moral restraint’ – encouraging people to have less children. A lot of international funds were put into family planning programs with the hope of lowering the birth rate and overall population growth.

New Approach: Population Growth as a Neutral Phenomenon

However, in the 1970s, with the increasing access to international data, new perspectives began to appear. Several researchers and economists argued against the Malthusian theory, firmly establishing that population growth was a neutral phenomenon and had little or no effect on per capita economic growth. Some believe that this new perspective contributed to a significant drop in family planning program funding.

But Then Again…

In the 1990s the tables turned once more. Demographers and economists who analyzed the economic development in East Asia over the 20th century found that a significant increase in savings and investments could be attributed to a decrease in childbirth some years back. Because of the lower birth rate, a larger segment of the population was of working age, creating a ‘demographic dividend’ that boosted the economy. During the same decade another important research showed that there is indeed a negative link between population growth and economic development and that it is evidently strengthening over time.

All the conclusions presented above were based on solid research and logical thinking, how then could they be so different? The answer has to do with historical context. While we have focuses on two elements – fertility rate Vs poverty – reality is more complex. The fact that two trends coincide does not necessarily mean they are connected. But then again, maybe they are.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/link-population-growth-poverty/feed/19Empowering Zimbabwe for the Future: The Domboshava Community Knowledge Centerhttp://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/empowering-zimbabwe-future-domboshava-community-knowledge-center/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/empowering-zimbabwe-future-domboshava-community-knowledge-center/#commentsThu, 22 Jun 2017 06:23:23 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=210NIP Global (NIP), Appleseeds Academy and the Clinton Foundation joined forces to establish an exciting educational project in Domboshava, Zimbabwe – an innovative tech Community Knowledge Center (CKC). The Center was designed to offer advanced technological facilities and courses to the local community in general and professional information technology training to Zimbabwean entrepreneurs, businesspeople, IT […]

NIP Global (NIP), Appleseeds Academy and the Clinton Foundation joined forces to establish an exciting educational project in Domboshava, Zimbabwe – an innovative tech Community Knowledge Center (CKC). The Center was designed to offer advanced technological facilities and courses to the local community in general and professional information technology training to Zimbabwean entrepreneurs, businesspeople, IT students, and government employees.

Providing Zimbabweans with the Skills to Succeed

The goal of CKC is to enhance technological literacy in Zimbabwean society and provide all facets of Zimbabwe society with better access to state-of-the-art information technology equipment, tech education, textbooks, materials, and knowledge. These goals support a greater objective – to supply Zimbabweans with a toolkit for professional and personal success, help them improve their economic standing, and empower them to pursue even higher levels of education. NIP Global provided the resources needed in order to equip the Community Knowledge Center with cutting-edge IT platforms and high-level training programs that meet international standards.

Harnessing the Power of Technology

The Community Knowledge Center was built on the premise that physical and cognitive access to technology is the key to full participation in the global marketplace. To this end, the center rests on four basic principles:

Increasing access to global markets: helping local groups and individuals take part in the international marketplace, by improving their access to information, promoting participation in global communications and encouraging international sales and purchases.

Building capacity: developing participants’ professional skills and increasing their employability. Exposing students to advanced digital platforms, in order to familiarize them with global advancements and help them develop relevant knowledge and expertise. Decreasing barriers to learning and employment by improving general health.

Offering an open learning environment: Building collaboration among schools, government agencies, and communities to foster improved economic and social services based on need. Developing agile programs that are able to meet changing needs and circumstances.

Creating a climate of innovation: Providing the training, resources, and infrastructure needed in order to connect rural communities to the international marketplace.

The CKC was built in a developing area in proximity to four health centers and ten schools so that it could provide tech education services to as many people as possible and make a real and sustainable difference.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/empowering-zimbabwe-future-domboshava-community-knowledge-center/feed/81ID4Africa: Shaping the Future of Digital Identification in Africahttp://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/id4africa-shaping-future-digital-identification-africa/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/id4africa-shaping-future-digital-identification-africa/#commentsMon, 01 May 2017 07:43:13 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=206Setting the Agenda: The 2017 Meeting of ID4Africa This year’s meeting of ID4Africa will take place on April 26-27 in Windhoek, Namibia. The event will consider how best to promote the adoption and implementation of digital identity systems in ways that will contribute most effectively to socio-economic development in Africa. The forum will be comprised […]

This year’s meeting of ID4Africa will take place on April 26-27 in Windhoek, Namibia. The event will consider how best to promote the adoption and implementation of digital identity systems in ways that will contribute most effectively to socio-economic development in Africa. The forum will be comprised of four main participant groups: Local society members and representatives of various African authorities, international development agencies, solution providers, and domain experts. Delegates from different African countries will be able to interact with other stakeholders as they investigate issues and developments relating to digital identity in today’s world. Alongside this forum, the 2017 meeting will feature a major Expo that will bring together the world’s leading and most innovative providers of digital identity systems and associated fields of knowledge. The 2017 Expo will present different examples of innovative identification technologies and related solutions.

Why is Effective Digital Identification So Important for Africa?

ID4Africa is a multi-stakeholder movement that promotes the adoption of modern digital identity systems across Africa. The overall objective is to use these highly effective digital identity systems to support social and economic development in Africa. When transparent and responsible identity systems are in place, individuals across the continent will be empowered to assert their rights while fully benefiting from the social and economic development that will follow.

What is the Role of NIP Global?

ID4AFRICA Twitter.com

Among the vital technology solutions that NIP brings to the table are web-based approaches to population registration, to the registration of marriage and divorce, and to the documentation of births and deaths. All of these solutions streamline and enhance the gathering of vital demographic information that governments need in order to plan effectively for the future. As those attending the 2017 meeting of ID4Africa will see for themselves, NIP Global stands ready to make pivotal contributions to the refinement of current agendas for digital identity systems and to the implementation of these systems across a rapidly changing continent.

NIP is proud to be a leading contributor to the Expo. As ever, we stand ready to lead and participate in the implementation of digital identity systems across Africa. With more than two decades’ experience of providing cutting-edge IT solutions, we have unparalleled insights into how to resolve the logistical challenges that governments face as they implement, manage and upgrade digital registration systems for their populations. But innovation and social advancement are not all about technology, at the heart of our achievements in this field is our ability to forge enduring and dynamic partnerships with governments and other stakeholders in order to drive and sustain socio-economic growth as well as citizen participation. NIP has always delivered on its promise to “make IT happen” and will deliver once again along the vital road ahead that links effective identity registration with progress for Africa.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/id4africa-shaping-future-digital-identification-africa/feed/27HealthCare in Madagascar – Facing the Challenge Togetherhttp://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/healthcare-madagascar-facing-challenge-together/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/healthcare-madagascar-facing-challenge-together/#commentsWed, 05 Apr 2017 12:19:37 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=199Healthcare services in Madagascar may be able to improve the lives of millions in the next few years thanks to a joint venture between the Ministry of Public Health, the Office of the President and corporate partners including NIP Global. A Recovering Healthcare System Despite a robust program of primary healthcare initiatives developed in the […]

]]>Healthcare services in Madagascar may be able to improve the lives of millions in the next few years thanks to a joint venture between the Ministry of Public Health, the Office of the President and corporate partners including NIP Global.

A Recovering Healthcare System

Despite a robust program of primary healthcare initiatives developed in the 1980’s there is still work to be done to improve the medical care available to the citizens of the island. Professor Dieudonné Randrianarimanana, cabinet director of the Madagascar Ministry of Health, Family Planning and Social Protection notes that many people in Madagascar are well informed and actively engaged in protecting their own health. On the other hand, he points out that many more do not have access to basic healthcare or the means to avail themselves of the services on offer.

In recent years there have been significant improvements in the reporting and treatment of HIV/AIDS, leprosy, and polio in Madagascar. There has also been a notable decline in the infant mortality rate, down from 98 in 1993 to 58 deaths per live births in 2006. However, the healthcare system still needs to further its accessibility in order to reach the 40% of the Malagasy people who do not have ready access to either primary healthcare, or sophisticated treatment for diseases. Preventive medicine, health awareness and early detection play a significant part in improving healthcare and they are far from being available to all.

NIP Global Brings Imaging to Madagascar

In June, 2015, NIP Global and partners started the construction of the first medical imaging center in Madagascar. NIP specializes in electronic identification technology and offers turnkey solutions to clients from the corporate and public sectors across the world, including Madagascar.

Their local presence within the community has made the company aware of the central medical issues the population suffers from and by launching this special project, they wish to contribute to solving them. As a company, NIP has always believed in context-focused philanthropy as a sustainable and effective form of corporate giving. This project enables them to use their knowledge, skills, technology and resources to help tackle a painful issue and make a substantial difference to the community they work with.

]]>http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/healthcare-madagascar-facing-challenge-together/feed/5Beating Breast Cancer in Madagascar with the New Medical Imaging Centerhttp://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/beating-breast-cancer-madagascar-new-medical-imaging-center/
http://www.nipglobalblog.com/blog/beating-breast-cancer-madagascar-new-medical-imaging-center/#commentsMon, 06 Mar 2017 12:45:20 +0000http://www.nipglobalblog.com/?p=165The New JRA Imaging Center – Advanced Equipment Is Just the First Step The newly inaugurated medical imaging clinic in Antananarivo, Madagascar is the first of its kind in the country. While it brings with it the latest diagnostic equipment and treatments, it is also facing a number of obstacles. Step One – Facing the […]

]]>The New JRA Imaging Center – Advanced Equipment Is Just the First Step

The newly inaugurated medical imaging clinic in Antananarivo, Madagascar is the first of its kind in the country. While it brings with it the latest diagnostic equipment and treatments, it is also facing a number of obstacles.

Step Two – Building Trust

For many people, especially those in rural areas, the technologically advanced equipment and its purpose raise a certain amount of skepticism and mistrust. Building trust, especially when it comes to one’s personal health and body is a delicate process that requires patience and work. One of the steps that have been taken in this direction is staffing the center with local professionals only. According to Dr Mohammed Homoud, medical manager of the center, this has not been easy as many staff members had no previous experience with the new machines and needed further training, but in the long term it is definitely worth the effort. The team behind the center – JRA hospital, NIP Global, Madagascar president’s office and Ministry of Public Health – is also working on raising awareness of the importance of regular checkups specifically for breast cancer.

Step Three – Improving Access

According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is one of the top twenty causes of death in Madagascar. While it is highly treatable when detected on time, the mortality rate from breast cancer in the country has increased by 8.9% since 1990. Now that the mammography equipment is ready and available, and the medical staff is trained to operate it and decipher results, this has to change. NIP Global is working with the center and local leadership to urge the public to attend regular checkups and make mammography services accessible to all women in Madagascar.